Cat Chat Feline Forum

I'm due to move house soon from a flat.
George is a rescue cat who has been indoors with mecfor 4 years and I got him on the understanding that when he was fostered he wasn't interested in going outside.
I've seen no evidence of him wanting to go outside over our 4 years together.
My new house has a garden. should I introduce him to the outdoors again or keep him inside? I'm worried that he won't have the necessary life skills to be aware when outside.
The vet doesn't think there'll be a problem.
What to do??

Is your garden inclosed or do you need to share it? If so I would say you should be very careful because the neighbours may not enjoy a cats company.
I would think about buying a cat net to spread across the "roof" of the garden so George can go out but, honestly, if he's shown no real interest in going out up to this point I wouldn't worry about going out and buying it right now.
If you've just gotten the house I'd let him settle for now and simply explore his new digs. It'll take at least a month or two for him to settle properly anyway. Perhaps it's a good idea to wait until Easter time when the weather turns warmer and then (once the net is installed) encourage him to go outside.
If you don't have a catflap and start encouraging him now to go out I suspect you'll have no end of grief of him wanting to go outside and then wanting to come in again because the inside and outside temperature is so different.

I have had two rescue cats that had never been outside before I had them. Tiggy was a two years old moggy and Blue, the Ragdoll, was three years old, both had lived in flats with previous owners. I have always been of the belief that if possible a cat should have access to outside so after a couple of months for them to settle in i started letting them out. (Blue had already had one unplanned excursion, our other cat a tortie named Patch had managed to knock open the lounge door even though it had been bolted and I came down on a cold, wet, January morning to find Blue had worked out how to use the cat flap, there was me, half six in the morning, shouting his name and rattling a crunchy box).

Both adapted really well. The first few times was just before the would normally be fed and even before they went out I always made sure that I called there names at feeding times, even if they were already there. I always supervised the first few times they were let out and even when they were allowed out for longer it was always when i was around and knew i had time to make sure they were back in. After a few months they were coming and going happily, and both loved being out even if Blue was happy just to go out in our garden.

Frejya, one of our latest youngsters, is the first cat I have had that had problems using the cat flap, for the first year we had her she would not push it open. I let her out in the evening and at weekends when I knew i would be there to call her in, but i couldn't leave her shut out unable to get back in. She suddenly found out how to use the cat flap after we failed to catch her to take her to the vets for boosters. She has been coming and going well since. However I did notice that she has seemed more relaxed since she learnt to use it and be able to come and go herself. Its hard to really pinpoint and explain but she just seems a happier cat, even though she is another that doesn't go far. I would have said that when I was letting her in and out she was perfectly happy if I hadn't seen her after she learnt to use the flap.

So I would advise keeping him in for at least a couple of months. Get a cat flap fitted if possible. Cat proofing your garden is your choice, partly it depends on what the area you are moving to is like, if the neighbours are friendly try and let them know when you start letting him out and they can keep an eye on him as well. I always wonder if obvious cat proofing, particularly if you live in an area where everyone else's cats run free, is a bit of an advertisement that there might be a valuable pedigree at the house, tempting thieves to try and get in. Of course if it is a busy road or there are other dangers around then cat proofing the garden would be advisable.

You need to casually ask the neighbors if like cats? If not, then you could have a problem on your hands? Also, as cats wander, probs from other householders?
When we got our first cat, wasn't any probs with neighbors. Then when the others came along, lots of agro from a guy across the road. Had to call the police cos he was chucking cat poo in my front garden. Even though there was no proof it all came from my cats. Cats from neighboring flats also go into his garden (and mine too).
Trying to keep a cat in is not an easy task. I try not to let mine go out the front door, so guy across the road don't see them and start blaming me about the cat poo in his front garden. But many a time taken by surprise when coming in, a cat has bolted out. I am planning to move next year, so cats (4) will have to come with me. Looking at retirement parks, so hopefully new neighbors wont object?

You could always try cat-proofing the garden, if practicable.

Personally, I would move and keep them in until mid-Spring when it's warmer, because that's when you'll probably want to start having doors open to enjoy the fresh air. And in the meantime look at having your garden cat proofed. I think they'll adapt just fine when the time comes and I agree with Ruth, that if possible, a cat should have outdoor access.

Depending on the size of garden, type of fencing and plants / shrubs / trees in the garden cat proofing is actually not a difficult thing to do if you have some DIY skills and the relevant tools. I did mine myself and to do both back and front gardens cost me about £500 and took a day each